Core pin for molding valve stems



O. W. HOSKING CORE PIN FOR MOLDING VALVE STEMS Original Filed March 19, 1941 I? INVENTOR 0a He April 20, 1948.

Jja,

?atented Apr. 20, 1 948 2,440,144 1 CORE PIN FOR MOLDING VALVE s'rnivis' Oakley W. Hosking, Monroe, N. Y., assignor to Composite Rubber Products Corporation,

Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Original application March 19, 1941, Serial No. 384,173. Divided and this application May 15, 1945, Serial No. 593,787

3 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to an improved core pin for making, by a molding procedure, rubber valve stems for inflating air containers such as the inner tubes of motor vehicle tires, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a core pin adapted to be removably assembled with the rigid insert, prior to molding of the rubber.

The present application is a division of my application Serial No. 384,173, filed March 19, 1941, now Patent No. 2,390,026, granted November 27, 1945, which is a continuation in part of my previous application Serial No. 107,832, filed October 27, 1936 which has since matured into United States Patent No. 2,232,530, granted February 18, 1941, and of my copending application Serial No. 379,055, filed February 15, 1941, now Patent No. 2,344,932, granted March 21, 1944,

It is an object of the present invention to provide a core pin for making valve stems having means for preventing the escape of air under pressure from the passage through the stem along the contiguous surfaces of the insert and rubber, to the exterior of the stem without relying upon adherence of the rubber to the insert; to reenforce the rubber against ballooning, and against distention of the rubber walls of the passage through the stem when they cooperate with portions of the valve mechanism; and to anchor the insert in the stem in such a manner that it is secured against blowing out of the tip of the rubber body under the influence of compressed air inthe bore of the stem.

It has been proposed heretofore to prevent the escape of air between contiguous surfaces of the rubber and insert by adhering therubber to the insert, but this requires special selection of materials and special preparation of the surfaceof the insert.

It has also been proposed, in cases where a rubber and metal junction is exposed to compressed air, to extend the rubber interiorly of the insert so that the compressed air holds the rubber against the insert to seal the contacting surfaces against escape of air between them, but the extent of the contiguous sealing surfaces heretofore contemplated was generally so small that the seal was inefiective.

The valve stem is made according to the present invention by the use of a novel core pin in the molding process which has as an object to provide means for forming a bore through the rubber portion of the stem, requiring no pilot pins in the mold, permitting the use of rubber slugs having no apertures therein, and insuring that the passage through the stem will not be blocked by penetration of rubber into its bore; the use of the said means being adapted to simplify the operations attendant upon the introduction of portions of the stem and the rubber into the mold, and is especially adapted for mass production.

These objects are accomplished by providing a core pin which is separately assembled with an insert, especially of the aforesaid preferred form of valve stem, before molding the rubber around it; forming a solid slug oi uncured rubber, and adhering it to the assembled insert and core pin; placing the resulting assembly in a suitable mold; molding and vulcanlzing the rubber under heat and pressure; and finally removing the core pin from the stem after the mold contents have been removed from the mold and allowed to cool.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter ppear.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. -1 is an enlarged central vertical cross-section of a mold for forming a valve stem. of the present invention showing the relative positions of the metal insert, rubber, and core pin during the molding process.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged central vertical crosssectlon of the metal insert oi'the valve stem of Fig. 1, prior to molding of the rubber portion thereof, and assembled with a core pin for forming a. bore in the molded stem.

Fig, 3 is an enlarged central vertical cross-section of a modification of the valve stem of the present invention.

The valve stem made by the apparatus of the present invention comprises a rubber body portion 10 and a rigid insert l I, preferably of metal, embedded in the rubber, said stem having a passage l2 extending from its base to its tip through the rubber and metal portions thereof.

The rubber body portion comprises a base flange It for securing the valve stem into an air container, and a stem portion [4 extending outwardly from the flange. The rigid insert ll comprises a tubular metal member, part of which protrudes from the tip of the rubber body In. The insert may be formed of one piece as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or of two pieces Ha, llb secured together as shown in Fig. 3. The protruding portion of the insert may be provided with external threads [5, as shown, for engaging a cap or similarly threaded elements, and is preferably provided with an external annular flange l6 inwardlyof said threads, the rubber of the body 10 surrounding the external surface of the insert, below said flange.

Internally, the insert ll may be threaded adjacent its tip as indicated at H, and provided with a conical seat l8 inwardly of the threads, said seat and threads being adapted to receive and retain a valve core of the conventional type.

Below, or inwardly of, the conical seat 18, the passage through insert II is widened to form an inwardly facing shoulder I9, and'the rubber of the body portion I 0 of the stem extends interof lthefrubh'eriandiin etalbel nally aid n e ti al its Ew s ted-er base substantiallytd saidrs ulder. I

The inner pbrt'ion of'the insert H which is surrounded both internally and externally with; the rubber of the body extends, according to the invention, almost to the'baseof' the' body; The inner portion of the insert-isslgirt-lilse in shape, and its inner end may b e offgreater diarn eter than the portion adjacentdtstshoulder l8; whereby its engagement withthe rubber. of the, body portion is rendered moreefiective' topree vent ejection of the insert from the rubber by air under pressure within the bore of the stem, and whereby the inclusion of a greater thickness of interiorly lying rubber is made possible, a feature which is sometimes desirable, for instance, to afford increased yielding properties inthe thickened portions of the: rubber. walls of the passage. through the stem adjacent its base. Furthermore, in order. to: provide means for. positively anchoring. insert 1 linithe rubber: body I 0, theskirt on the. insert maybe provided with .a seriessoflapertures Z05. (se'e Fig. 2-) through which the rubber oftthe: body portion extends to, .1 form an interlock withrthe insert, retaining-it against blowing out of the tip of the rubberbody under the influenceof airunder pressure in the bore ofthestem. h

As ind-icated -in the drawings, the passage i2 below shoulder I 9 extends through the rubber lying interiorly ofinsert-l Land through the rubber base flange {3. When thesterh, is: used with a valve coreofthe conventional typafpassage i2 is sealed above shoulder 19; Thus-the rubber forming the walls of the passagebelowshoulder leis subjected to the pressure'ofthe compressed ir n. we e afie a tan lum: t hi h h stem i sfattached and is urgedf radiall outward, therebyj ag i st the contig uousinte of insert ll. Because 0 tinuous surfacev or the. [9i and "aperture jlllf hjis lcb}; interiorly lying rubber", this are the escape-bf from the bored rnightlotherwis around thes'uifa ee i aa neataa I shoulder 25;.tothe exteriorrub erf ineta at atlfla e15 Moreover, s'ince'theernbe se e ing. i extendsalmostto the 'ase .of thetrubber body,

a renforees,th$tempbrtibn =1 host le bodyior substantially 16; "efiti e1 ng and prevent loo'ning" er the rubber by air-tin;

passage. [2

. assetzar a e ma an.c 'as.- nqi at d iu ha iai We star er-mandamuss ea an e e ret:

' tee- 1hr W ehan nward n f; yl nr. h

ie isse eis lirie i l he Mali ac n mechanis assess. 3&8ragg -i di en i n-which:mi h

mg, of} the air.

ofihsert yr he sheui st- 1. .1 he ubber.- Wall a qts bepaseae'e ema ufli i t nas e eward amotweinanqrt ons .f l' elqwsrt nd lq finsel d l l-.lrroundS,.saidi shoulder .and extends abeveiandabelawgtheisame,

base of the rubber flange I3 presenting an inwardly faced conical rubber valve seat 24 for cooperating Withspecial types of valve cores, includinga valve pin provided with a closure adapted to. cooperate with an integral rubber valve seat within the bore of a valve stem. Such a valve"cQreis-disclosed in my previous application SerialJNo ..1(l7,832lfiled October 27, 1936, which has since maturedinto United States Patent No. 2,232,530; granted February 18, 1941, and also in my copending application Serial No. 379,055, filed Fe r ary: ,5 ne Pat n a. 3 13 e antedMa f li '2 19 The; lower end of; insert lgl preierably extends above and below said integral rubber valve seat, and reeriforces it against'such distention as would permitfthe blQW iHQQlllljOf a special valv-e core; of the latter type.

By forming the walls of the passage l2, inwardly of the shoulder l9- of rubber; a material economy in th'enranufacture ofthe valve stem is effected. Namely, if the widened cylindrical portion'Zl of thepassage:wererformedin the metal of insert. H it would require. an. additional counterboring operation in; the manufacture of the insert; and if apart ofthelnarrowercylindrical portion 22 were.- also; of metal, the. counterboring; operation would; be even more. seriously complicated. Since these cylindricalparts of thewalls of the-passage t2 are; oirubber, theylmay be formedby relatively simple, moldingsprocessesand the entireskirtpon 4p: moldingsoperation. to sealith'e passage through.

the valvestemat shoulder lhagainst flow ctrubberg andrlhaving a portioniadapted tol'form apase sageinwardlybf said shoulderzthrou'gh;themu bber to the baseofqthe. stem; Thex.core;pinithussperformsithe; functionrordinarily effected; by: means.

ofipilot pins extending; into the bore :of: a; metal insert from one; or both. en'dsi of' a moldlng diel. during the molding of rubb'enaroundzthe insert.

As. shown in Fig. 2,.acorerpinizfi'icomprisestwo separable-parts adapted; to :be secured together' bydraft-means." Theitipportion zfiiofitheacore pinlcomprises .a.:cylindrical:memberzhaving ak nurlem handle 23?; any annulartflange :28; adapted: to ene gage the tip of insert H. and a boss '29, adaptedl; to; protrudezinto .thetip .of. insert H, and having anzinternally'threadedaso ckets 30: at its lOWErI end; From; the: Well i. ofilthe socket-, a bore 3 i extends A axiallyito the lendaofithe knurled-handle.-

The. coree'forming member 32 of -the core-pin comprisesaa. terminal :stem 33- adapted tmslide telescopically into the bore. 31; l and adjacent thereto; a l threaded p'ortion- 34 is provided for-- engaging the threads of socket 3B. A cylindrical portion. 35 extending- .inward from thethreadsis adaptedato fit) the. aperturesof insert I l-between Beyond the mid-portion36, member 32 includes a cylindrical extension 38 adapted to form the cylindrical walls 22 of passage I2 and terminating in a shoulder 39 which forms the, outwardly faced shoulder 23 in th saidpassage. Below shoulder 39, a reduced cylindrical portion 39a. is provided to form the constriction 23a, and a conical surface 40 is provided to form the integral rubber valve seat 24 in the passage l2, member 32 terminating in a cylindrical portion 4! adapted to form the lower end of passage l2. Theend surface 41a of member 32 is preferably constructed to be flush with the lower surface of the rubber base flange l3.

The core pin 25 is assembled with insert H by inserting core-forming member 32 into .the lower end of the insert, and the tip member 26 intothe tip of the insert, and then screwing threaded socket 30 over the threaded portion 34 to draw the two parts together until flange 28 is clamped against the tip of the insert and shoulder 31 is clamped against shoulder l9 to form a seal against the flow of plastic rubber past this point. Cooperation of the cylindrical portion 35 with the apertur in insert l I above shoulder I 9 and of stem 33 with the bore 3| of tip member 25 serves to center the core pin in the insert.

The mold for forming the rubber valvestem comprises an upper die 42 having a fiat surface 58 for molding the base of flange [3 of the rubber body I0, and a lower die 45 having a mold cavity 46, the walls of which conform to the exterior shape of the rubber stem portion l4 as well as the upper surface of flange l3.

The inner end of the cavity 46 preferably includes a shoulder 41 for engaging annular flange IE on the insert II to seal the mold cavity against egress of rubber at this point. An extension 48 of the said cavity provides space for the tip of insert H, and for the handle 21 of the core member 25. The extension 48 is preferably open at its lower end to permit access to the knurled handle '27 of core pin 25 so that the latter may be pushed upward to eject the valve stem from the mold after the molding operation is complete.

Uncured rubber for forming the body portion ill of the valve stem may be provided in the form of solid rubber slugs which are relatively simple to preform by extrusion while avoiding overheating which would tend to partly vulcanize the rubber.

In other valve stem molding processes where pilot pins are used, it is generally necessary to provide slugs of crude rubber having apertures therein in order to avoid rubber entering the bore of the stem during the closing of the mold before the pilot pins can seal the passage against influx of the rubber. The extrusion of apertured rubber slugs is relatively slower than solid slugs and often results in deleterious overheating of the rubber. The avoidance of this disadvantage is made possible in the present invention by the use of a core pin preassembled with the metal insert instead of pilot pins, to form the rubber bore in the stem.

After the core pin 25 is assembled with the metal insert I I, an imperforate rubber slug is adhered to the core pin 25, for instance, by merely pressing the latter into the surface of the slug. The resulting assembly is inverted and dropped into the cavity 46 of die 45 which is heated by suitable means to molding temperature. The upper die 42, also preferably heated, is lowered under pressure until the mold is closed, forcing the rubber into the cavity surrounding the core-forming member 25 and the skirt portion of insert I I; The flat-surfaced end 4| :1 of member 32 preferably rests against the surface of the upper molding die 42. Excess rubber is forced into the usual flash groove 49 surrounding the mold cavity.

The contents of the mold is heated sufficiently to vulcanize the rubber. The mold is then opened and the core removed, for instance, by pushing. upward against the end of the core pin tip member 26.

' Ti member 26 is then unscrewed from the core-forming member-32 and the latter pushed out through the lower end of the valve stem. The rubber shoulder 23 and valve seat 24 yield sufficiently to permit removal of the core-forming member. This operation insures opening of the'passage l2 throughout the baseof the stem even if a flash of rubber has covered the end Me of member 32 during molding. Thus, the present molding methodinsuresthe formation of the through passage in the valve stem, and effectively removes rubber which might'ten'd to obstruct said passage.

The use of the core pin of the present invention in the above described molding process is highly advantageous for mass production. Economy is effected in the manufacture of the metal insert. Economy in time and effort is also effected in that nonapertured rubber slugs may be used which may be preadhered to the end of the core pin, whereby the entire mold contents may be dropped into the mold cavity at the same time. In mass-production methods heretofore used, the metal insert and rubber slugs were separately dropped into the mold cavities of a multiple mold,

requiring the use of separate positioning or distributing racks for the rubber and metal respectively. According to the present invention, only one positioning rack is necessary to place the structures in the mold, thus simplifying the requisite machinery.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. A core pin for use in a mold for forming a bore in a molded rubber valve stem having a rigid insert extending into the tip of a rubber body and at least partly embedded therein, said insert and body having coaligned bores forming a passage through the stem and said mold having a base-forming surface, comprising a bore-forming member, one end of which adapted to extend to the base-forming surface of the mold, and having a bore-forming surface terminating at an annular bearing surface adapted for engagement with a corresponding bearing surface on said insert, a separable member adapted to engage an abutment on the insert disposed outwardly relative to its bearing surface; and means independent of the mold for connecting said separable member and the bore-forming member through the bore of the insert and for drawing said members together to clamp the bearing surfaces of the insert and the core pin together in sealing relation while the separable member is supported on said abutment.

2. A core pin for use in a mold for forming a bore in a molded rubber valve stem having a rigid insert extending into the tip of a rubber body and at least partly embedded therein, said insert and body having coaligned bores forming a passage through the stem and said mold having a base-forming surface, comprising a bore forming member, one end of which is adapted 7: to extend. to the: baseieforming surface ef' the maid. and having a boreefdrmilig surface tennis nating in an annular bearing surfaee' adaptedto en ageia cerrespondiugbearingsurface on; said insertgja separablev member adapted to en agean abutment Dnathfi: insert. disposed" eutwardiy reiative tozits bearing. surface, draft means: for con: meeting" .said separableamember and the; bore! formin member efisaid corepin andfQr drawin said members together independent-1y ofthezmoid to clamp thebearing surfacesnf theainsert-e and QQI'B D n S aling relationewhile" the. separable member is supported on said :abutmenmimeans Q1; said mepin fer edoperatim ;v with. theiinsert nd center n the pmv therewith on tightening sa d draft means; and1meanS-omsaid;separable member andhemfiormine member foricnoperatr me with said insert; fer. aligning. saidcereu in eylindmal portions of: various diameters, said sur aces terminating at an: annular shoulder or bearing. surface facing the opposite endw'of j said more,fem nine':memloer. and adapted to engage a .QI QSPQI .d ng' bearing surface at: the iimen end of the. :bore iermme. portienersaid insert,-. a cos aligned stem 0nsaidlbore-forming member adapted to projeet'into the'bore ofsaid insert having threadsthereon, and a: cylindrical portion adapted tefit the here 01 said insert; and a clamping member-having a, flange-for engaging thetip of 'saidinsertin abuttingerelation, and a threaded'socket for engaging the threads on said stem, saidclampmgmemben being adapted; upon inserting the stem of the :boredorming-member' into the-borerof the insert-from the "inner end of the'iatter, to-be screwed over the threads of said stem until the said flange engages the tip of the insert to draw said bearing surfaces: together in sealing relation and to align said boreforming. member. with the insert while. engagement. of? the: fitted cylindrical portion 01' thestem inithe bore of the insert centers said: core pinsin the2insert.

' QAKLEY' W. HQSKING.

5 C TED The following references are of-record in the file of this patent:

UNITED- STATES-PATENTS Number Name Date 1,604,274 Gammet'er' Oct. 26, 1926 2,135,570: Ellis Nev; 8; 1938 2,230,879. Bronson Feb; 4, 1941 2,329,346 Goff Sept. 14, 1943 FGREIGN PATENTS Number Ceuntry- Date 259,685 Great: Britain www-Oct;- 18, 1926 

